NRMA chief customer officer Emma Harrington says two years ago the group was charging down a "technology-led approach" to overhaul its 2.4-million member program before everything was up-ended to start with real people – staff and customers.

The result has been 1.5 million sign-ups in the past year to the NRMA Blue program, which reinvented what being an NRMA member delivers. For those who didn't have a car NRMA membership was expensive, while many others were getting roadside service direct from carmakers.  The previous member services program, with travel benefits and guides, also needed improvement.